Real deal: Bears in for three years, $54M on Jay Cutler

Most long-term NFL contracts amount to three-year projections. In the case of quarterback Jay Cutler's new deal with the Chicago Bears, that's especially true.

According to contract details obtained Monday by USA TODAY Sports, Cutler didn't receive a signing bonus on the seven-year, $126.7 million contract he signed last week, instead getting guaranteed base salaries of $22.5 million in 2014, $15.5 million in 2015 and $16 million in 2016.

That essentially makes it a three-year, $54 million contract, with rolling club options each year from there and no salary cap repercussions if the Bears release Cutler anytime after the 2016 season because there's no bonus to prorate.

None of the money in the deal's last four years — base salaries of $12.5 million in 2017, $13.5 million in 2018, $17.5 million in 2019 and $19.2 million in 2020, plus $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses each season — is guaranteed.

The deal includes $17.5 million fully guaranteed at the timing of signing. The rest of Cutler's 2014 and '15 base salaries are guaranteed for injury only until the third day of the 2014 league year in March and the 2016 money until the third day of the 2015 league year.

Cutler, 30, actually will get paid more in 2015 than '14, with $5 million of his $22.5 million base next season deferred to multiple payments the following year. The contract includes $500,000 base/guarantee de-escalators each year if Cutler doesn't fulfill offseason workout obligations.

The Bears also re-signed cornerback Tim Jennings and guard Matt Slauson to four-year deals last week. Jennings received $11.8 million guaranteed and Slauson $4.9 million guaranteed.

They now have 33 players under contract for 2014, which is still the fewest in the NFL.